Joey Molland, guitarist for the legendary Welsh rock band Badfinger, died at the age of 77 on Saturday (March 1st). While no cause of death was announced, the veteran musician had been battling a number of health issues recently.
Molland’s passing was reported by his social media manager Paul (aka PD), who wrote on Instagram, “It is with profound sadness to inform his fans here on IG, and around the world that Joey (Joseph Charles) Molland passed away last night at 11:39pm CST, after a 3+ months long battle with multiple health issues.”
Previously, PD had posted about Molland’s health on January 18th, linking to a GoFundMe page and writing, “Joey has spent the past 2 months in the hospital due to a complicated list of health issues, which centers on complications from his 30+ years of managing diabetes. Not to mention, he’s now 77. He is under constant care…has good days & bad days. It’s too much for his long-time angel of a girlfriend Mary, to handle at home. Joey has health insurance, but we all know the ‘industry’ only covers so much.”
On the GoFundMe page, Molland’s girlfriend Mary wrote of the guitarist’s condition, “Joey was vaguely ill throughout the fall, and then in early December acquired a very bad bacterial infection due to his diabetes. The infection caused septicemia and traveled through his body, causing harm in multiple critical organs and bones. His recovery has been slow and arduous, including several surgeries and procedures.”
Molland joined Badfinger in 1967, right as they changed their name from The Iveys. He was considered part of the band’s core lineup, also consisting of singer-guitarist Pete Ham, drummer Mike Gibbins, and bassist Tom Evans, all of whom have also died.
Badfinger were signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records, and released six albums from 1970 through 1974. However, they were left financially ruined by their corrupt manager Stan Polley, and singer Pete Ham wound up taking his own life in 1975.
During that time, the band scored hits with such songs as “Come and Get It” (co-written by Paul McCartney), “No Matter What, “No Dice,” “Day After Day,” “Straight Up,” and “Baby Blue.”
The band’s debut album, Magic Christian Music, was co-produced by McCartney, while their third album, Straight Up, was co-produced by George Harrison and Todd Rundgren.
Molland also contributed acoustic guitar to Harrison’s albums All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, as well as John Lennon’s 1971 album Imagine.
Prior to Ham’s suicide, Molland left Badfinger in 1974, and formed a band called Natural Gas with Humble Pie’s Jerry Shirley. That outfit was relatively short-lived, and Molland ended up forming a new version of Badfinger with Tom Evans, releasing two albums: Airwaves (1979) and Say No More (1981).
Sadly, Evans committed suicide in 1983, marking the end of the second incarnation of Badfinger. Molland went on to release six solo albums, ranging from 1983’s After the Pearl to 2020’s Be True to Yourself.
Per Setlist.fm, Molland’s last concert took place November 19th, 2024, in Clearwater, Florida.
Our condolences go out to Joey Molland’s family and friends during this difficult time. See him performing with Badfinger in the clips below.
